Renaissance Horizontal Table Clock

Description

Crafted by Prague clockmaker Andreas Glenck, this rare and important horizontal table clock dates to the late Renaissance and has ...
moreCrafted by Prague clockmaker Andreas Glenck, this rare and important horizontal table clock dates to the late Renaissance and has the ability to strike on the hour and quarter hour. This variety of square-form clock is one of the first spring-driven timepieces used within the household. Its firegilt and silvered brass case is exquisite, and molded and glazed windows allow the entire mechanism to be visible while operating. The face features blued iron hour and minute hands, with the silvered dial showcasing Roman hours and Arabic minutes. The movement is a chain/fusee crafted of brass and iron with one Hammer and a verge escapement. This particular specimen comes complete with its original leather and brass-mounted case with a glass window in the lid that allows the user to tell the time while keeping the timepiece well protected. Clocks are one of the greatest and most important inventions of the Renaissance period, embodying the renewed interest in science, the arts and man's place in the world. The first mechanical devices that indicated time began appearing in the 14th century and were large, weight-driven devices placed in the turrets of public buildings that struck the hour and lacked hands and faces. This clock was created during the first period of household clocks, when spring-driven movements made it possible to create smaller and more complex mechanisms. Such creations, however, were a luxury accessible only to the upper class. These patrons placed pressure upon artisans to create more elaborate and more beautiful clocks, of which this particular timepiece can be counted. Renaissance clocks are an incredible rarity on the market, with the handful of known examples are coveted in the collections of major museums throughout the world. Horizontal clocks similar to this specimen can be found in the collections of London's British Museum, as well as the Metropolitain Museum of Art and The Frick Collection in New York. The face is engraved "Glenck / Prag" while the interior is engraved "Andreas Glenck / Prag," circa 1700 . Measures: 2 7/8" square x 3 1/8" high. 3 3/4" wide (with pusher). less